


I live to let you shine

by Louie_writes



Series: Leave me your star dust (to remember you by) [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/F, M/M, cause the worst that happens is the injury, hashtag brotp, idk what else, kuroo and yaku need to be friends more in fics, okay so this plays in the same universe (and time frame and all) as jet black, only you don't hear about it and wouldn't know unless you read jet black, so everything that happens to kenma also happens here, the original tag about them was too long and deleted, they need to be college freinds, this is about kuroo and yaku, uhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 13:37:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18181301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louie_writes/pseuds/Louie_writes
Summary: “Fractured,” had the doctor said, “permanent damage,” “no jumping or other exercise of that kind”.“No future” was what Kuroo heard. Kenma had held his hand in a tight grip as the doctor walked him through the situation, shaking through his tears. Kuroo barely registered it in the numbness of it all.He couldn’t play because of the injury, he couldn’t study because he was in between school years, schools even, and he couldn’t see Kenma because he was moving out.Nothing really managed to wake him out of the dark cloud he was living in until Bo had a brilliant idea.“Become the manager of the girls' team!”





	I live to let you shine

**Author's Note:**

> Song: "Boats and birds" by Gregory and the Hawk
> 
> This is the second part to the stardust series. this can be read as a stand-alone, or a prequel to jet black, or a sequel to jet black, or simultaneously with jet black if you switch fics at every horizontal line.
> 
> God Kenmas fic had so much fucking notes in the opening explaimor and i ahve no idea what i wrote there all of ten minutes ago. Enjoy following Kuroo in uni. if you don't feel keen for the girls in the team there is always bo and yaku to be excited for. but maybe you'll change yoru mind about the girls. who knows.

It was going to be in a whole new environment. New people, new classes, new team, new living place, new, new, new, new.

 

Bo understood him, wordlessly somehow, and despite the fact that he was keen on the new environment and bloomed in the center of a sea of strangers.

 

They stole Bo’s mom’s car, they drove around, they found a hill with a nice view and some trees on it, climbed it, and watched the sunset.

 

They should have just done that, should have sat on that bench and watched the dying sun that marked the day of Kuroo’s last day of high school. But obviously Kuroo couldn’t keep things simple and the brilliant idea to climb the trees to see if they could watch the sunset for longer came up.

  
  
Kuroo knew how sunsets worked, as well as perspective and distance.

  
  
Kuroo knew that climbing trees in the semi-darkness was a bad idea.

  
  
He knew he was an athlete that is not supposed to do stupid shit like this.

 

He knew that climbing on a tree that was at the edge of a hill was a stupid idea.

 

Kuroo cursed himself more than anyone else when he fell and felt a crack in his knee that could only mean lasting damage.

  
  
The only thing that came close to that pain was the moment Bo realized that the pain was real and Kuroo was in actual distress. He called an ambulance and cursed more than Kuroo had ever heard him do.

  
  
“Fractured,” had the doctor said, “permanent damage”, “no jumping or other exercise of that kind”.

 

“No future” was what Kuroo heard. Kenma had held his hand in a tight grip as the doctor walked him through the situation, shaking through his tears. Kuroo barely registered it in the numbness of it all.

 

He couldn’t play because of the injury, he couldn’t study because he was in between school years, schools even, and he couldn’t see Kenma because he was moving out.

 

Bo helped, he truly did, though Kuroo could very clearly see his guilt, so even his cheer didn’t help.

 

Calling Kenma helped. It really did. From anywhere between 20 minutes to two hours every night he felt okay again. It didn’t get him through the day though.

 

He had to wear a cast the first few weeks he went to class. Yaku’s violently supportive attempt to have him be lively in class didn’t help either, even if it was appreciated.

 

Nothing really managed to wake him out of the dark cloud he was living in until Bo had a brilliant idea.

  
  
“Become the manager of the girls' team!”

  
That made way too much sense, he couldn’t play, but he knew volleyball better than he knew how to breathe, and being captain gave him experience in teaching people the sport. He suddenly didn’t feel like dedicating his life to one thing and have the dream bust because of a stupid idea would be the end of the world anymore.

 

He would be the girls' teams’ manager.

 

* * *

  


The girls' team was pretty big and pretty successful. They were hardworking and dedicated, they had known rivals and pulled large crowds at official games. And they looked for a manager.

 

He knew they were wary of him because when he entered the gym he could hear them discuss him.

 

“Do we really need a guy?”  
  
“Is he even going to be serious?”  
  
“What if he just wants to ogle us?”  
  
“Does he even know volleyball?”  
  
“Will he even stay for longer hours?”  
  
“Will he be dedicated enough?”

  
  
“Yo” the girls shrieked as he approached them from behind. “I’m Kuroo Tetsuro”

 

He could physically feel their reservations leave as he introduced himself and his history.

 

The first thing they seemed to notice was the cast, some sending pitying looks his way that he ignored. One girl in the back adjusted her stance to give him an appreciative once over that he also ignored.

 

Once he was done with the basics the captain, Michiru, introduced herself and her team. She said how dedicated they were and what their goals and training regimen were, and that she was looking forward to working with him. The coach seemed happy with their arrangement.

 

––––

 

Watching over a completely new team was wild. There was a second-year libero that reminded him of Shibayama in many ways, he tried to approach her to give her advice with receiving more easily but she shrieked and ran away from him. Another time maybe.

 

The captain was practicing straights in a manner and with a dedication that reminded him of Bo. Less cheerfully though. He wanted to approach her and ask why she was so tense but she honestly intimidated him.

  
  
At the back of the gym the girl with the wandering eyes trained a jump floater. It didn’t quite work yet. Kuroo had seen Karasuno’s freckles-kun and Fukunaga from the sidelines often enough to know what the issue with her serve was.

 

This girl was alone, and a bit secluded from the other at the back of the gym, so he took a deep breath and approached her.

 

“Your arms have to be straight.”

  
  
She turned to him, giving him another once over. A too slow one for his liking, and way too appreciative.

  
  
“What do you mean?”

  
  
“Your arm needs to shoot straight out for the ball to stop spinning. Right now you are spiking the ball as you would with any other serve.”

  
  
She nodded, tried again, and this time the ball was way calmer than before.

  
  
“Thanks. Coach isn’t really into alternative playing methods, he likes brute force and relentless power, so I have nothing other than online tutorials to go on here.”

  
  
Kuroo chuckled. This team was interesting, and this girl was surprisingly easier to talk to than he had first anticipated.

  
  
“That’s a shame, subtle methods of deception can be the downfall of the best teams.”

  
  
“My thoughts exactly,” she answered, and there was something in the look of her eye that was definitely flirtatious. He had to tell her to stop it already.

  
  
“I.. uhhh…” okay maybe he had to collect his thoughts and words before he made any sort of comment in any way. God, volleyball was so easy but girls were so hard.

  
She chuckled at his embarrassment and went back to practicing.

 

––––

 

He really hadn’t expected for them to greet him outside of the changing rooms.

 

  
“We’re taking all first years for dinner. Treat of the seniors for the good work so far. Wanna come with?”

  
  
Before he could accept the captains offer a tall and cheerful girl he couldn’t remember said, “this is a command and you have no say in this!” with way too much glee.

  
  
“I mean, if you say so?” he said with a smile. He could use some friends after all.

 

––––

  
  
Dinner was surprisingly fun.

  
  
The girls were all joking and energetic and one of the older members had two smaller first years under her figurative wings and told them stories about their neck-breaking match on the way to the food court.

 

The captain and the setter were in some sort of heated argument about some sort of collectibles merchandise that Kuroo had never heard of, and the cheerful girl that had threatened him with a good time spoke from his very soul by complaining about starving to death before they would ever reach the establishment. Kuroo quickly decided she was his favorite.

 

–––––

  
  
Organizing about a dozen high school boys had been a major pain in the ass when he was captain, but it seemed college girls were just as bad.

  
Captain and setter seemed to hold a somewhat genuine grudge over the collectibles debate so they sat at opposite ends of the long table, which didn’t really stop them from yelling arguments or profanities at each other at irregular intervals. The starving player counted down all the things she was going to order and Kuroo really hoped she would get all that because that would be hilarious to watch. Whoever the girl was that was about to sit next to him got pushed out of the way by the girl with the wandering eyes.

  
And hands Kuroo learned very quickly.

 

After everyone had gotten up again to order and everything was organized the captain asked everybody to share some personal stuff for ice breakers.

 

The libero that reminded him of Shibayama had started playing volleyball halfway through high school, so she did not have much experience and she had not been a regular then, but she really enjoyed the sport.

 

A really tall, blonde girl was actually just checking out the club to see if she would like it and because she wanted to do some sport. She really enjoyed training even if she didn’t understand half the vocabulary. She reminded him of Tsukki in a way, but shy.

 

Another, rather unnoticeable girl just introduced her name, major, impressive years of experience, the fact that she was going to be graduating soon, and favorite anime.

 

“And what about you?

“Yea, tell us about yourself, like do you have a girlfriend?”  
  
“Kaede, leave the poor first year alone, he’s way too young for you.”  
  
“Buzzkill!”

  
  
Kuroo pushed the girl, Kaede, off his shoulder that she had leaned her arm on to loom over him and said, “No I don’t have a girlfriend but I do have someone I am interested in.”

  
  
Now even the captain seemed intrigued, “who is it?”

  
  
Kuroo felt nervous being the center of attention of half the table, the half that was within listening reach of his conversation, but thinking about blond hair, a smart brain and eyes with an unnerving focus made him feel relaxed again.

  
He looked down at his lap where he fiddled with his hands to not have it show how gone he was for his love.

  
“It's my childhood best friend.”

 

\----

 

The girls were way faster converted to Kenma stans than he had expected. He had planned to convert them at some point, but he expected for it to take more effort on his part. By the end of dinner, he had shared the top 10 greatest Kenma moments with the team, as well as the top 20 greatest photos he had in his album. He was fucking elated.

 

After they finished eating and collectively walked back to their homes he took a picture of the lot of them with him in the middle captioning it “I made some friends” and sent it to Kenma. After all Kenma, next to Bo, had gotten the full brute of his depression these last few weeks and deserved to know that he was doing well.

  
A short “good for you” came in response. Kuroo laughed as the emotionless sound of voice of that text, and Michiru, reading his phone screen over his shoulder, cooed at how Kenma like the response was.

 

On his other side, Kaede threw an arm around his shoulders and leaned her weight in him, making walking in a straight line rather hard.

  
  
“It's a shame that you’re a taken man.”  
  
“I’m not actually taken, Kenma doesn’t know about any of this.”  
  
“That's not what I meant.” Kuroo didn’t know how to respond to that. “You live in the first year dorms, right? Let me take you home, it's on my way.”

 

Kuroo didn’t know what he had expected from that offer, but it certainly wasn’t Kaede cooing about the dorm, reminiscing on old memories, and telling him and the other first years where the best hiding spots where, when the laundromats were free, and how to escape out of and into the building at all times.

 

They waved her goodbye as she walked back up the hill where they came from.

  
  
“Kaede senpai is so cool!”  
  
“Yea, that she is”

 

* * *

  


Kaede turned out to be a surprisingly good friend. Not that he strictly expected something else, but he had at least thought that the flirting and wandering hands would get on his nerves more.

 

Neither of those actions stopped at any point, but a shared love for volleyball could override any prohibitions as it seemed.

 

Kaede was one of the strongest players in the team, next only to Sayori whose monster spike could rival Bo’s, and Michiru who was an all-round amazing player but seemed to work on her attacks the most.

 

Most of the girls in the club were strong, and the ones that lacked strength or experience were hard working. Kuroo dared to say he was proud of his girls.

 

He said as much to Kenma in a text, even adding his feeling of “being one of them” before noticing how that sounded. He sent the text anyway.

  
  
Angry Cat (7:15 pm): Youre and idiiot

  
  
God he was so gone for his friend.

 

“What's gotten you so giddy, big guy?”

 

Kuroo really didn’t know if he counted as a ‘big guy’ in Kaede's book when he wasn’t that much taller than her. “Kenma, so the usual.”

  
  
Kaede hummed. “Say, what is your experience with guys?”

  
  
Kuroo scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “None really. I haven’t really gotten there with Kenma and I didn’t ever want to do it with anyone else.”

  
  
“I can teach you how to bring joy to a man if you catch my drift. A real hands-on course.”  
  
“No thanks,” he responded flatly.  
  
“Your choice,” she said walking away, but the slight smirk on her lips showed that she knew the interaction was in good spirits

 

You (7:18 pm): Kaede offered to show me ‘how to pleasure a man’ lmao

  
  
There wasn’t a response after that.

 

––––

 

Kenma’s silence became worrying. The first couple of days Kuroo just let him be. Sometimes Kenma didn’t feel like talking and it was not like Kuroo to be getting on his nerves too much. But when almost a week had passed he couldn’t help but worry.

  
  
You (6:20 pm): Kenma is being quiet, do u kno whats up there?

  
  
Tigress (6:42 pm): Dunno, hes quiet here too, gonna ask

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
Having left Kenma in the capable hands of Taketora, Kuroo went back to spending time with his girls.

 

Mini-Shibayama, Mio, as it turned out, was no longer afraid of him, and started to approach him with questions about receiving. When he pulled up some reference videos of Nekoma games to show examples of uncommon maneuvers or even just how something she struggled to handle would look in a real game she absolutely lost it. She came from the country and her school had never been good enough to make it to nationals, but seeing Nekoma play turned her into a next level fangirl and she regretted having never been to any of their games. Kuroo promised to take her along some time.

 

Sayori had asked him to keep track of the number of her executive, successful spikes, and her stamina and success rate let alone power intimidated even Kuroo whose bones must have forgotten playing against Bo. He found her work ethic and technique quite impressive so they discussed daily routines, stamina, strength training, and dietary ideologies together.

 

Kuroo also took the tall blond first year under his wings, for one because she was an inexperienced middle blocker, and also because of that Tsukki resemblance.

 

He decided to pass on his legacy with Kenma by teaching her how to do time difference attacks with their main setter. This got an angry look from their captain who seemed to be possessive of her setter, or maybe something like that.

 

After training, he checked his phone

  
Tigress (9:15 pm): There is some rumors going rounf school. Noting realistic, i think hes jsut a bit upset

 

 

* * *

  


In the next few weeks, his girls took a bit of a backseat because assignment season was coming up. He probably would have more time in the club than in the library if he wasn’t fearing Yaku's wrath since they shared a lot of classes and Yaku's chronic urge to aggressively take care of others showed itself most when stressed.

 

He decided that it was healthier to stay on Yaku’s good side.

  
  
Yaku’s overprotectiveness must be infectious though because he found himself sending several girls home once practice finished so they could do their own homework. He found himself surprised by the fact that they actually listened to him. If anyone had attempted to send him and Bo home early during training camp for a reason other than food they probably would have rioted.

  
  
Maybe uni students were just more adult.

 

Less physical exercise and more theoretical work left his brain pondering though.

  
  
“Say,” Yaku hummed in disinterest, “do you think Kenma is going to be okay alone?”

  
  
“You always say that Kenma is the strongest person you know,” Yaku commented without looking up from his notes, “besides, it's not like he is alone.”

  
  
“I just mean because-”

  
  
Yaku looked up to send him a blood-chilling death glare. “If you love that boy so much why don’t you marry him?”

  
  
Kuroo avoided eye contact and said in a small voice, “maybe one day.”

  
  
Yaku looked at him for a long moment before eventually saying, “fucking finally.”

  
  
“You’re not surprised?”

  
“Boy, not even Lev would be surprised by that comment. I’m just glad that I don’t have to deal with your pining anymore now that there is some distance between you two.”

  
  
Kuroo didn’t quite know how to feel about that, or how to respond to it.

  
  
“Kenma is quiet lately. Tora says he is upset.”

  
  
“He probably misses you as much as you miss him. Would make sense for him to have a bit of a down time.”

 

Yea, that's what it probably was, just a bit of a down time.

 

––––

 

Kuroo didn’t know how the lot of them crunched through exam season, but they did. He was just about to breathe through when a got a worrying text from Tora.

 

  
Tigress (3:13 pm): Did Kenma say something to you about his mood?

  
  
Truth was, Kenma had started talking to him again. Never more than once a day, and never more than single sentence answers, but talking nonetheless.

  
  
You (3: 55 pm): He is quiter than usual but he still talks to me .why?  
  
Tigress (3:56 pm): Ah if he doesn’t talk to you either then maybe it isn’t important  
  
Tigress (3:56 pm): He still hasn’t missed a practice and goes to all his classes, so it can't be too bad

  
  
Kuroo didn’t know whether he would agree with that. He didn’t know who to ask though either, the people that knew Kenma the best were the people currently in his team and Kuroo himself. He needed a third opinion before he would do something stupid like skip his mid-semester test tomorrow to see if the other boy was okay.

 

You (6:45 pm): Hey, wanna order pizza and complain about tests tonight?  
  
Annoying Owl (7:00 pm): Absolutely bro, ill bring food from work.  
  
Annoying Owl (7:05 pm): Akaashi says were not supposed to pull all nighters  
  
You (7:05 pm): Tell akaashi that i am offended that he would have so little faith in us  
  
Annoying Owl (7:07 pm): Akaashi says his littel faith in us is warranted

  
  
Fair enough.  
  
Having Bo over was a fucking delight though. It felt like it had been ages since he’d last seen him and hearing him laugh and feeling his hug made Kuroo smile in his very soul.

 

The fact that Bo worked for a really nice restaurant now and could bring absolutely amazing food to get-togethers was only an added bonus.

  
  
They spent a good few hours just catching up because despite going to the same school now and living near each other it had been surprisingly hard to see each other. When they were on all the same pages he asked a question he had been itching to ask all night.

  
“Can you help me with a decision about Kenma?”

 

 

* * *

 

  
  
“Go meet him,” had been Bo’s verdict, “he probably misses you and you definitely miss him. So dropping by and saying ‘how are you?’ and ‘can we hug for like 5 hours?’ won’t do any damage.”

  
Kuroo felt like it was a really obvious solution but one he still nonetheless needed to hear.

  
  
He texted Kenma without getting a reply, he texted Tora and announced himself for practice the next day, and he texted Michiru to tell her that he wasn’t gonna come to training the following day.

  
  
“Go get your happy end, lover boy.” She responded. He didn’t tell her that that wasn’t really his intention.

 

Two hours on a train home can make your nerves an absolute wreck. Arriving on a different platform than he was used to felt weird, going the familiar way to school felt even weirder somehow.

  
Standing in the gym before anyone else arrived felt the weirdest.

 

One by one the students trickled in. First years nodded at him or politely said hello, second years excitedly told him about their improvements, Nekomata actually shook his hand and asked him how he was. Third years surprisingly arrived last. And looked worried.

  
“It's good that you’re here, this is the third day that Kenma has been skipping practice.”

 

Kuroo took a moment to catch up.

  
  
“Kenma has been skipping practice?”  
  
“Yea, the first time was three days ago, he still came to morning practice but he was really out of it, but I haven’t seen him since unless in the hallway.”  
  
“He had trouble concentrating for a while,” Fukunaga added in his usual, monotone voice.

“Any idea where he may be off to?”  
  
“None.”

  
  
Right at that moment, Fukunaga jerked up as if he realized something. “I have to go,” he said, and exited out of the door.

  
  
Kuroo threw a confused look at Tora as Fukunaga left them.

  
  
“I don’t know what he’s doing honestly, and I don’t know if I want to know. But he always comes back with Kenma, so that's good.”

  
Nekomata announced the start of practice and Tora announced Kuroo as a special guest for that day.

 

––––

 

They didn’t actually see Fukunaga again until after practice had finished and everybody had cleaned up. They asked where Kenma was.

  
“Home.” He answered. After being met with a long silence he added, “I don’t know if you should talk to him, Kuroo- san, you seem to be a sore topic to him at this time.”

  
A sore topic? Him? To Kenma? “Why?”

  
“That is yet to be shown.” Fukunaga responded, taking the last four volleyballs from the ground and putting them away. Leaving Kuroo absolutely flabbergasted at the situation.

  
He turned to Taketora and wordlessly demanded some sort of answer.

  
“I don’t know either, honestly, but as long as he still brings Kenma home I trust what he says.” Well, that wasn’t helpful.

  
He held Taketora by his shoulders, “can I trust you to keep an eye on Kenma so that nothing bad happens to him?”

  
Taketora raised his hand in salute, “absolutely. I will protect him with my life and make sure that Nekoma's brain will be properly cared for.”

 

Kuroo nodded, pulling back, feeling calmer.

  
  
“Nekoma’s brain, backbone, and heart.”  
  
“Actually, Kuroo-san,” Fukunaga said, coming back to them, “I think he is your heart more than ours.”

 

Well, that gave him surprising whiplash.

  
  
“That obvious?”  
  
“Quite so.”

  
  
Kuroo bid the two of them goodbye, hoping his face wasn’t as red as it felt.

 

Halfway on the way back to his uni he got a text from Taketora

  
Tigress (7:45 pm): I don’t think Kenma is okay, I don’t know what the issue is either though

 

Kenma isn’t okay.  
  
Kenma isn’t okay.  
  
Kenma isn’t okay.  
  
Kenma isn’t okay!

  
  
If Kuroo were in a car he would have turned around.

  
Instead, he exited at his station, auto-piloted to his dorms, fell into bed and hoped for the best.

 

Because Kenma was strong and he was going to be okay.

  
  
Right.

  
  
Right?

 

–––––

 

Kuroo had no idea what was happening in class for the next 3 days. If he didn’t have Yaku's notes he would be in big trouble.

  
  
“Well, what can you do about it?”  
  
“Fukunaga said to stay away from him.”  
  
“In those words?”  
  
“Kinda.”

 

Even volleyball didn’t get his mind moving again.

  
  
“You sure that I managed all of five spikes in the last half an hour?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“I do intensive spike training for half an hour and your notes tell me I did all of five of them?”  
  
“Sorry, I’m not really into it lately.”

  
  
Michiru hummed and took one long look at him. “Is it Kenma?”

  
  
“It is that obvious?”  
  
“Well, I’ve never seen you this out of it so I took a wild guess.”  
  
“Sorry, I’ll pay more attention now.”  
  
“Take a break if you need one, your brain doesn’t work when you’re this antsy.”

  
  
Damn volleyball for not being a physical activity anymore. Damn his damn knee for taking that away from him. Damn Kenma for not talking to him and doing who knows what out there. Damn Fukunaga for telling him to stay away.

 

His shower at home took twice as long as it usually would, and when he came out of it Bokuto stood on his doorstep with a whole five video games in his hands.

  
  
“Yaku said you needed something to do.”

  
  
Bless Yaku and bless Bo and bless video games and bless Bo for not asking questions.

  
  
“I can’t be there for him,” Kuroo said, kicking Bo’s ass at smash brothers without really looking at the screen, “he’s going through a hard time and I haven’t seen him in over a month and haven’t talked to him in weeks.” He just then realized how long that was. Uni sure ate time away from you. “I have never been separated from him for this long.”

  
“Maybe he realized he likes you and is not dealing with it well because he over thinks the issue,” Bo said without really paying attention to Kuroo.

  
  
“No, that not…” Kuroo trailed off, “that's not possible.”

  
  
Kenma couldn’t like him, he hadn’t actually started to try and win Kenma’s heart over after all.

 

 

* * *

  


“Have you bought your ticket for the science faculty ball?”

  
  
Kuroo came from wherever he had zoned into to meet Kaede's eye.

 

“Not really. I don’t have anyone to go with and balls aren’t really my thing.”  
  
“Come on, I know this club has at least three more science majors and I know at least one more person here is going. You can join us if you like. Besides, taking a break to party to get your mind off things is important too.”

  
  
Kuroo couldn’t help but smile. “Is it still that obvious that I’m out of it?”

  
  
“I was referring to taking a break from studying in general. I know I died of it two years ago and it doesn’t really get better, you just get used to it. But to answer your question: if you try and tell me that I, as middle blocker, have managed a whole seven blocks today I will punch you.”

  
Kuroo sheepishly looked down at his notes. “Yea I’m sorry, I’m working on it.” Then he realized something though. “Wait, do you do biochemical engineering?”

  
Kaede winked and pointed at herself. “Have been for three years now. If you have questions ask me. Or Mio, she does it too.”

 

–––

 

Going to the boys' tournament was a fucking delight, and a positive rush on endorphins compared to what had happened up until then.

 

Seeing Bo in action made him realize how seldom he got to see him these days. In high school you could meet on weekends or even after school if you wanted. Usually, they would meet to train. The matter being that they met somewhat regularly. Now they lived closer to each other than they ever did before but barely caught sight of one another.

 

Kuroo had missed him. Even seeing him from the sidelines and cheering him on playing the game and not paying attention made Kuroo feel more at ease. Friends were truly a wonderful thing.

 

––––

 

“You guys did amazing out there,” Kuroo said, meeting the team after their won match.

 

“Well, of course, we had me on the team after all.” Bo said laughing. Kuroo was so damn happy that he didn’t even mind holding the sweat-soaked muscle man in his arms. And it truly was a testament of their good mood when he leaned down to hug Yaku as well, and compliment him of his Nekoma trademark receives, and all Yaku did was hug him back and say thank you.

 

He waited for the team outside the changing rooms because he knew it was gonna be full in there, and he could last the 20 minutes it would take for everyone to change and shower and meet him outside so they could go eat together.

 

He didn’t wait alone though, a vaguely familiar girl stood a bit away from him. As he stared at her to identify if he knew her she looked up and waved at him. “Oh hey-” oh god, she was the backup setter for the girls' team, but damn he forgot her name, “-there. What are you doing here?”

  
She approached him to talk to him more easily. “My boyfriend is their middle blocker, Nagisa-” a third year, that he knew. Not a particularly bad player, but also not much of a presence. Kuroo barely remembered that guys face, “-I came to watch their game and I suppose to celebrate. What brings you here?”

  
Kuroo pointed at the changing room behind him. “Two close friends from high school are on that team. Bokuto their wing spiker and Yaku their libero. Came to cheer them on like you.” The girl hadn’t reintroduced herself and Kuroo was too awkward to ask her name but she nodded at him. Awkward silence settled over them and Kuroo felt the need to fill the air with empty words, “I was originally gonna join too, but the knee, you know?” Damn, way to make it less awkward Tetsuro. The girl hummed non-committedly. Kuroo was just about ready to throw himself off the nearest cliff when he heard Bokuto and also some others come out of the changing rooms.

  
“Hey hey hey, who wants some food?”

 

––––

 

Eating with the boys' team was somehow exactly the same as well as totally different to eating with the girls' team.

  
The boys were louder and more disorganized in a way. Kuroo had to dodge Bokuto’s excited elbows more than once, and it was hard to keep up a conversation about middle blocking experience with the boyfriend of the girl he had talked to.

 

He loved the atmosphere though. The fun, the camaraderie, the spirit of youth. It was exactly the same as it had been with the girls, and Kuroo felt a little more alive even if he usually liked to avoid crowds, especially those that he didn’t know very well.

 

Talking to that middle blocker had been insightful, though not in middle blocker terms, but rather, in the relationship he had with the girl.

 

“Shigeko and I met in middle school. We were the only ones keeping the photography club alive at the time, and we were in the same class. We even stayed in the same class up until we graduated high school and I decided that I couldn’t just harbor my crush on her without acting on it so I asked her out.” He then squeezed his girlfriend's hand on the table and they shared a disgustingly sweet look.

  
“That's so cute honestly,” Kuroo said. He was a sucker for sweet love stories after all.  
  
“Kuroo can relate,” Shigeko said, “he has his own childhood friend that he has a crush on.”

  
‘Dangerous water Shigeko, dangerous water. You don’t discuss other people’s sexualities in front of strangers.’

  
A loud groaning came from Kuroo’s side, interrupting his building panic.

  
“Don’t get this guy started on Kenma. I had three years of his pining and I had three years enough of it.”  
  
“Yakkun, are you drinking?”

  
Yaku downed another glass of sake in a manner that Kuroo considered to be not particularly respectful to the drink.

 

“It's what I need to do to survive this proximity to you.”  
  
“You didn’t _have_ to sit next to me, you know?”  
  
“No I did, because you looked lonely.”

 

––––

  
Kuroo lent Yaku an arm to lean on as they made their very slow way back to the dorm. Bo had gone out clubbing, which Kuroo didn’t have the social energy for anymore and Yaku had become too drunk for.

  
  
“Say, have you gotten your ticket for the science faculty ball yet?”

  
Yaku made squinty eyes at him from beneath the elbow he was holding onto in a particularly unconventional manner and thought for a few very long moments.

  
“You can’t just ask me to be your side hoe because Kenma is giving you the cold shoulder.”  
  
“No I mean,” Kuroo sputtered, “I asked if you were going because I was going with a few people from the club and I wanted to ask what your plans were.”

  
Yaku scrutinized the ground for a bit, still walking in a barely straight line, even with Kuroo to guide him.

  
“‘S not really my thing. Didn’t have plans to go. Can join your harem though if you want.”  
  
“Yakkun!” Kuroo groaned, “friends, Yakkun. Friends. Buncha friends doing things together.”  
  
Yaku nodded. “Got it. Buncha attractive, athletic, tall girls in your arms as you walk to the ball and me in a pretty dress.”

  
Kuroo took a deep breath to not go off at Yaku.

  
“If that's how you want to come I won’t stop you.”  
  
“You wouldn’t be able to if you tried. Still not going though. Dunno why you think I’d be interested in dressing up?” 

“One of the senpais in my club is a bio-chem major and has agreed to lend us her notes since she’s two years ahead.”

  
Yaku abruptly pulled him down by his shirt collar then.

  
“Marry her.”  
  
“I have Kenma, remember?”  
  
“Then I’ll marry her.”  
  
“For that, you’ll have to come to the ball, oh prince.”  
  
“When and where?”

 

––––

  
Kuroo was proud of himself because the next morning he got an impossibly early text.

  
  
Smol n bitter (5:57 am): Last night I agreed to something and I don’t remember what and the pain in my head is telling me to cancel those plans  
  
You (11:34 am): Complete notes on all of our classes from a senior student  
  
Smol n bitter (11:38 am): Nvm i’m good

 

–––––

 

“Shigeko said you went to the boys’ game last night,” their main setter said in a training break, “how was it?”

  
Kuroo took a sip from his water bottle. “It was fun, actually. My friends were in top shape, as I expected them to be, and the match against the other team was thrilling.”

  
A ball landed next to them with a loud smack, giving the two quite a fright. Michiru clicked her tongue in the distance and picked up another ball to serve.

  
“I noticed the boy’s strategy is a lot more, how do I say, defense and alternatives based than what we do here,” he said looking at Michiru serving again. “It seems we’re doing a lot more ‘head first brute force’ sort of a deal. You feel me?” Michiru landed another serve. With an astonishing force, and actually inbound this time. She still didn’t seem happy. “Does she ever take a break?”

  
The setter, that Kuroo was too awkward to clarify the name off, looked worried.

  
“Not if she isn’t forced. I fear if she doesn’t get dragged home she’ll work until she collapses.”

 

A ball landed close to them with a loud smack, barely in bounds.

  
Kuroo hummed.  


Well he was gonna have a talk to Michiru about that anyway.

  
“Evening, m’lady”, he said, approaching her from behind. She sent him a death glare so strong it made him back up a few steps

  
She sighed and visibly forced herself to relax. “I’m sorry. What do you want?”

  
“I was curious about your training method.”

  
She furrowed her brow. “Do you see an issue with it?”

  
“I see room for suggestions.” She sent him a glare so bone-chilling and unimpressed that it could rival Kenma’s. He raised his arms in defense. “I was the captain of my team until recently, I’m still in the habit of seeing, uhm, improvement opportunities.”

 

Her face was less hostile then but nonetheless unimpressed. “Alright, whats my improvement opportunity, oh captain?”

 

Kuroo gulped to collect himself and to not show how intimidated he was by a girl that barely reached his chin.

  
“Well for one I noticed that you focus on the same 2-3 attacks. A powerful straight, a powerful cross, a powerful serve.”

  
She frowned at him. “And where is the issue with that?”

  
God she was getting angry again, he started to regret talking to her and opening his big mouth. “None really, after all, they say the man that trains the same punch 1000 times is more dangerous than the man that trains 10 punches 100 times. My point is though that there are different, less direct ways to attack.”

  
Michiru’s shoulders fell. “You mean like time difference, soft serves, and rebounds, right?” Kuroo nodded. “Coach isn’t overly fond of them. If he sees us, especially us senior players, practicing them he says we’re slacking off and should work on real attacks.” Michiru did another serve with her entire body weight behind it and a loud yell for good measure. Not even caring that the ball landed nowhere near in bounds. “So I practice ‘real attacks’. Besides, the match is in two weeks, it's not like I’ll learn any fancy moves until then.”

  
Kuroo smirked confidently. “I have taught more complicated moves in smaller time frames to less experienced players.” Michiru raised an eyebrow at him. “My team hated me for being too nice to other teams players.”

  
Michiru giggled then, “Alright Kuroo, let’s.”

 

–––––

 

The one thing Kuroo didn’t expect to happen the day before the girls’ match was to be kidnapped.

  
  
Let alone kidnapped by three girls.

  
It made sense that one of the girls was Kaede though.

  
“We’re going shopping, get dressed.” She said, confident smile, hands on her hips. Kuroo needed a few moments to come to full consciousness.

  
“Shopping for what?”  
  
“Well, ball clothes obviously.”

  
Kuroo fully woke up then. “Oh shit, yea. I forgot about that.”

  
As he got dressed and ready to face the world he realized something.

  
“Can I bring a friend?”  
  
“Sure thing.”

  
Yaku wasn’t particularly keen on going though.

  
“I never agreed to this and it's way too early anyway.”  
  
“You agreed to it, it's how you’ll get your chem notes, and it's not too early once we get coffee.”

  
Yaku continued to scowl at him.

  
“All day just us with a bunch of girls in pretty dresses.”  
  
“I’ll be ready in 10 minutes.”

 

\---- 

 

Had Kuroo known that “you and a cute girl can obsess over receiving together” would do the trick to get Yaku motivated for balls he would have started with that. The moment Mio realized that she recognized Yaku from the Nekoma recordings Kuroo had shown her, her inner fangirl went absolutely nuts. Yaku getting flustered and pretending that it wasn’t that big of a deal was amazing to watch as well.

 

“Did you intend to set them up?” Kaede whispered, leaning into his personal space.

“No, but looking at them now I feel frustrated that I didn’t think of it.” Kaede giggled.

 

Kuroo had a good feeling about the day.

 

The good feeling diluted quickly though every time they entered a new store. By the time that they had reached their fifth he was completely drained, and the girls were still going hard.

  
He looked at Yaku for support, but the other was caught up in advising Mio what color would suit her best. Kuroo couldn’t tell if he harboured a crush or if he had just taken the girl under his libero wing, despite her technically being older than him.

  
‘Traitor’, he thought either way.

 

* * *

  


Kuroo had never felt prouder in his life.

 

Sitting on the manager bench and seeing his girls use all the moves he taught them was a fucking delight.

 

He watched Mio follow the ball and already step into its path before it was even spiked. He watched Kaede score three points in a row with a jump floater, he watched Michiru butcher a rebound but after her initial shock nonetheless have a smile on her face.

 

The coach, next to Kuroo, was evidently fuming, not to mention visibly confused by the fact that he couldn’t understand where the girls had picked those skills up.

 

Good thing that coaches weren’t part of private training.

 

They didn’t actually win the game, but it was damn close, and Kuroo was clapping for them like a damn maniac.

 

The girls fell into each other's arms on the field, Michiru saying something to them that seemed heartfelt but wasn’t audible from where Kuroo was. Then they went to the net and shook hands with the other team.

 

As Michiru shook hands with the other team's captain they stayed a while longer. The other captain kept Michiru's hand in hers and laid her free hand on Michiru's arm. Whatever that woman said left Michiru flustered and blushing, and by the time she joined the team in front of their coach, she looked incredibly happy.

 

Their coach was yelling at them that they could have won if they hadn’t used those ‘sissy’ moves and that he is banning those from practice indefinitely. Every single one of the girls was exhausted and glowing, and at one point or another every single one of them looked at Kuroo and they all had a silent understanding:

  
  
They did better today than they would have if they had used their old style.

 

–––––

 

Michiru was actually the first one out of the shower. The coach had said that there would be no post-game dinner today, but Michiru had organized one nonetheless, so Kuroo was waiting for the girls outside their changing rooms.

 

“I wanted to thank you, for today and for what you have done for us.” Kuroo waved her off, but she insisted, “Asuka told me she was proud of us,” she looked down shyly and continued in a smaller voice, “proud of me.”

 

Kuroo hummed in acknowledgment. “Asuka is the captain of the other team, isn’t she?”

  
Michiru looked up, startled. “How do you know that?”

  
“Well, I noticed some sparks fly when you shook hands after the game.” Michiru groaned and buried her face into her hands. “Also it's my job as a manager to check out the competition before games so we know what's coming for us.”  
  
“You are the worst.”  
  
“You love me.”  
  
“I do, but you’re still the worst.”

 

The only thing that came anywhere close to that level of pride was the day of the ball, conveniently held straight after exams so everyone was in a celebratory mood.

  
Also, everyone was looking absolutely dapper. Yaku had decided on a white and red suit, that Kuroo had said looked exactly like his Nekoma libero uniform. Yaku denied that but what was once seen could not be unseen. Also, Yaku shot that compliment right back at him when Kuroo showed up in red and black.

 

The girls were looking gorgeous as well if Kuroo could say so himself. Mio had a beautiful, flowy white dress that made both Kuroo and Kaede cough out subtle comments about being a matching pair, and Kaede had a black dress so form-fitting and with such an exposed back that even Kuroo, as a gay man, could appreciate the view.

 

Kuroo was so high on endorphins that he sent one of the pictures to Kenma.

 

Me (7:25 pm): #readyforscieneball!! Kaede is two years ahead of me in my program so she shares her old notes w me

 

He wondered if he would get an answer.

 

* * *

 

Kuroo finally understood what hangovers were like and he really wished he didn’t.

 

He had taken his suit jacket and shoes off the night before, but the rest of it was still on and he had slept on top of the covers.

 

He rolled over to check his phone, after a few moments of brain pain he got the information that it was almost noon, that his phone had five percent battery, that there were no messages from Kenma, and one message from Kaede.

  
Some bitch idk (6:25 am): How are you holding up, big boy?

  
This woman was a monster. He didn’t know how to best convey his pain to her so he just responded with “ughhh”

  
He decided to heave himself out of bed to get a glass of water from the common room. He actually had to stand in his own doorway for a solid minute because the midday sun was glaring at him from the big windows. He got a message on his phone.

  
Some bitch idk (12:16 pm): Rip 

Me (12:17 pm): Fuck you woman  
  
Some bitch idk (12:17 pm): Lmao

  
His phone died.

 

He managed to drag himself to the common room one slow step at a time. He got himself a glass of water which he downed in one go, then another, and then he had a look around, feeling significantly more alive.

 

Yaku was sleeping on one of the couches, one shoe missing.

 

He filled his glass with a little water and wandered over to the couch. He poured the water over Yaku’s face and said, “morning sunshine”.

 

It was truly a testament of Yaku’s poor state that he only let out vague noises of distress instead of instantly murdering Kuroo. He sat himself up. Not without holding his head and cursing both headaches and sunlight simultaneously though.

  
“Did your room mate not let you in last night?”

 

Yaku squinted at Kuroo. “No, I forgot where my room was.” He looked around then. “Still not sure actually.”

  
Kuroo dragged himself back to the tap, filled the glass, and went back to Yaku. “Drink this, it'll help.”

 

Kuroo was actually surprised to hear him say “thanks”, instead of some sort of protest.

 

–––––

  
It actually took until Monday for Kuroo’s hangover to go away. As soon as it did though a new headache came.

  
No messages from Kenma.

 

You (14:25 pm): Tora how is Kenma?  
  
Tigress (14:37 pm): Idk honestly  
  
Tigress (14:37 pm): He’s coming to practice again  
  
Tigress (14:37 pm): But he looks like shit  
  
Tigress (14:37 pm): Unresponsive

  
Kuroo took a train that same day.

  
It was way past training time so he was surprised to hear spiking sounds coming from the gym. He approached the door and was even more surprised to see Kenma tossing to Tora.

  
Kenma looked like shit.

  
His hair was long and unkempt and it so desperately needed to be dyed it looked like a problem. He had deep eye bags under his eyes that Kuroo could see from the entry, he slouched with more purpose, wasn’t wearing proper practice gear, and had a dead tone in his voice as he made meaningless comments on Tora’s spikes.

 

Kuroo made to get in the door but was held back by a hand on his shoulder.

 

It was Fukunaga.

  
“Not yet.”  
  
“I need to talk to him.”  
  
“Soon. Not yet.”

 

God, it was hard, so hard. This was his best friend. His best and closest and oldest friend _in the entire world_ and there was NOTHING he could do help him seemingly.

 

He was about to have an outburst at Fukunaga about his frustrations but one look at his face silenced him.

 

“Excuse me,” he said and turned away to not show the tears running down his face.

 

“Kuroo.” he turned around to Fukunaga again.

 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.” Kuroo didn’t know what to say to that. How to feel about it, what to think about it. He made to go back home, maybe his mother's cooking would help here.

 

It did.

 

For a bit.

 

He had never eaten as much in his life. It helped with the tears and with the emotions and with the focus. And after feeding him and hugging him and telling him how much she loved him and how happy she was to see him his mom gave him a big enough basket full of food to feed his entire dorm with.

 

–––––

 

Half the team was gone over the semester break, but some had stayed. When he wasn’t training his own team, Yaku would show the ropes to Mio, and Kuroo actually found some peace looking at them train. Kaede was gone and took a lot of noise and distraction with her that Kuroo desperately sought at that moment, but Michiru was still there and training as hard as ever. Kuroo had to remind himself as much as her not to overdo it.

 

A workweek passed and Michiru had gotten a hold of the rebound properly. Mio showed up in a red t-shirt and called her “Nekoma cosplay”. Fukunaga texted the message “you can see him”. Kuroo was so numb he almost didn’t react to it.

 

If he kept taking the train backward and forwards like this he would have to live off instant food for the rest of the year. It was worth it for Kenma though.

 

Tora stopped him outside the gym.

 

“He’s still a bit out of it. So you can see him but be quiet about it and like, stay a bit away. But seeing is fine.”

 

Kuroo nodded, confused but eager to see Kenma.

 

He went up to the bleacher and looked for long blond hair. He found none.

 

Instead, he found a 12-year-old Kenma playing volleyball with as much enthusiasm as the old Kenma had. He did what had to be done, but he wasn’t super into it.

 

Kenma’s hair, his attitude, and his face that he looked like an actual, genuinely living and breathing person now. Kuroo breathed more deeply.

 

Kenma looked up and saw him in the bleachers. Kuroo waved at him. Kenma waved back. Kuroo felt giddy.

 

His giddiness skyrocketed when he went to go back home, but met Kenma by chance by the gym door. Kenma looked and nodded at him, but didn’t say anything. Kuroo complimented him on the good game, and the haircut, Kenma nodded at that as well but didn’t mention it. Kuroo went home with butterflies in his stomach.

 

God, he was gone for the guy.

 

––––

 

Break ended and the number of girls became more at training. He taught every single one of them a new move or taught them how to polish an old one.

 

Kenma had sent him a picture of Akane sitting on Fukunaga's shoulders and had captioned it “the warrior princess and her trusty steed”. Kuroo had asked him if that made Kenma the damsel in distress. Kenma had answered that obviously, the house cat was the damsel in distress and that Tora and he were the demons that had captured her. Kuroo couldn’t have been fucking happier.

 

Nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing could have prepared him for nationals qualifiers though. In light of all things Yaku had decided to come with him and he and Kuroo accompanied Mio as she went to her national qualifiers in Tokyo and also her first Nekoma game.

 

He barely heard his friends discussing the moves on the field next to him and he barely saw the game.

 

He saw an angel with golden locks, and glowing, red flushed face that commanded respect on the court and lead his troops like a seasoned veteran. Kenma's now fully bleached, brighter, blonder hair flowed around him as gracefully as if he was a model in a shampoo commercial. Kuroo wasn’t aware what he was selling but willing to give everything to buy it. And ask if the model came with the product.

 

He didn’t expect to see Kenma any closer than that on the day, but all the gods he had paid his thanks to during the match must have heard his gratitude and rewarded him for it, because as he was leaving the toilet he ran into Kenma, literally.

 

His breath was caught in his throat because damn this guy was even prettier up close. Whatever recovery he did was doing wonders for him.

 

A breathless, “You’re here,” escaped the guy in front of him. God, it had been too long since he had a proper conversation with Kenma.

 

“Well obviously I was going to see your game, but I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”

 

Silence followed that statement. Kuroo couldn’t control his impulses and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Kenma’s ear, brushing along his cheek in the process.

 

“Everyone worked very hard.”  
  
“Yea, you did.” God, he was so proud. Kuroo sped away to not take his face and kiss him then and there.

 

Not yet.

 

* * *

  


The girls were training harder than ever. Another big game was coming up with the new school year, and Kuroo had to personally send a lot of them home because they were neglecting their school work.

 

Bo and Yaku were quieter as well, they also had a big game they said.

 

Kuroo got some extra pocket money by choosing the early morning shift of the Bakery in the CompSci building, adjusting to the new work environment quickly and finding himself enjoying the work and the people there.

 

Three weeks in though he saw an angel.

 

An angel ordering from him.

 

“You go here?”

 

Sure, they had talked. Usually empty nonsense and cat pictures or embarrassing things Taketora or Bo did, but Kuroo hadn’t been aware what university Kenma was planning to apply to.

 

Or what he studied.

 

Though unless he had any major plan changed he would probably go into the direction of programming.

 

“I like the teachers,” he said shrugging. God Kuroo felt as if he had been handed a glass of water in the desert. He had missed Kenma’s voice.

 

“Can I take my order?”

  
  
“Yea yea, Sorry, let me ring you up,” he quickly caught himself and collected an apple pie and mocha on instinct since he had missed Kenma’s order and was still too high up in the clouds to have the request clarified. He said his orderly goodbyes like a good server but was caught off guard again when Kenma turned around.

 

“You have a gym bag?”

“I have to train after classes.”  
  
“You continued volleyball?”

“I can’t take down Shoyou if I don’t play.” Kuroo would have felt happiness and pride at that statement but the smirk struck him dead. Kenma was specifically designed to kill him like a sniper.

 

Kuroo collected all his functions in his body again to ask one more question.

 

“Do you mind if I go to your games?”

“If you have time for it.”  
  
“Yea the boys’ games and the girls' games are usually at different times.”

 

Kenma shrugged. “Do whatever you can’t keep yourself from.”

 

Kuroo smiled so widely it hurt his face. “See you at your next game then!”

 

Kuroo’s giddiness didn’t leave him for the whole day.

 

––––

 

Kuroo was so, sooooo, proud of his team.

 

Michiru stood tall and proud as ever, but there was a certain natural authority to her person now. Kuroo reasoned it stemmed from her being more confident in her play now.

 

Mio was used as their Libero. She stood more steadfast than she did even two months ago. To the beginner's eye she may even seem like an expert player. Surely if Yaku had had the time he would have stood in the stands to cheer them on, but he and Bo had to do extra training that so there probably wouldn’t be any male team cheers.

 

Kuroo only slightly regretted introducing Sayori to Bo. Them playing together had done wonders to her already strong spikes. Kuroo still sometimes flinched when watching her play.

 

Kuroo started sweating when Kaede had to serve. It was the perfect time for a jump floater. He knew this, she knew this. Kuroo held his breath.

 

The whistle blew.

 

Kaede served.

 

The ball floated.

 

And landed on the other side.

 

A service ace.

 

Her first, real, actual service ace in an official practice game.

 

The team and Kuroo jumped up in cheers, and the girls huddled together to clap Kaede on the back. Kuroo could have cried.

 

Same routine.

 

Whistle blow, calmly throw up the ball.

 

Smack.

 

The impact of that unexpected force echoed through the gym and the audience was as celebratory about that play as the teammates were. Kuroo fist pumped the air and was tempted to flip off the other team which were starting to look uncomfortable. He held himself back though.

 

____

 

It was a really tight match. They won the first set, just barely, and lost the second, also just barely.

  
  
They eventually won the third set with nothing other than Kaede’s block and a two point difference.

 

The team was so elated that they actually took a moment of disbelief before they all stormed together. After that, they ran at Kuroo and Kuroo took Kaede into his arms, proud of her progress.

 

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” She whispered into his ears. Before she let go of him and went along with the girls to do her bows and shake hands with the other team.

 

Kuroo took half a moment to argue with the coach about what did and did not count as a good play before he joined the girls in the celebration.

 

He hugged Mio and Sayori and their setter who’s name he really should remember by now and turned around to see something unexpected.

 

“Kenma?”

 

Kenma shrugged helplessly and around them comments about “ _the_ Kenma?” and “he has a completely different presence in person” erupted and Kuroo was grateful for the distraction because he did not have enough brain function to deal with any of that.

 

Kenma was here.

 

Kenma had seen his team.

 

Kenma had probably cheered him on.

 

Kenma, and Fukunaga next to him waved at the group.

 

Everyone turned around to him and Kuroo tried very hard not to flinch at being put in the spotlight.

 

He took a deep breath to gather himself and know what he wanted out of this conversation.

 

“May I introduce you to my friends?”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed my little story. if you read this first i hope you get around to reading kenmas as well. if you read kenmas first and are now angry at me for being a douche noodle feel free to tell me so in the comments.
> 
> either way have a nice day and don't let a silly little crush keep you from being yor best selves.


End file.
